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Larix
347
1899, and some of these have been grafted on the common larch and are now growing in the Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts.
This larch in botanical characters stands nearest to L. occidentalis. Occurring at a high elevation in Shensi at about lat. 38°, it should prove perfectly hardy in this country ; but must not be expected to be of much importance as a forest tree.
The remaining species, ten in number, are tolerably well known, and are readily distinguishable by the characters of the cones and flowers. In the absence of cones, the following arrangement will give a good clue to the species:—
A. Leaves deeply keeled on both surfaces.
- 1. Larix Lyallii, Parlatore. Western N. America.
- Young branchlets completely covered with a dense greyish tomentum, which persists in part in the second year.
- 2. Larix Potanini, Batalin. Western China.
- Young branchlets bright yellow in colour, with a scattered pubescence.
B. Leaves keeled only on the lower surface, the upper surface being flattened or rounded.
- * Young branchlets pubescent.
- † Leaves glaucous, bluish, with two conspicuous bands of stomata, each of five lines, on the lower surface.
- 3. Larix leptolepis, Endlicher. Japan.
- Branchlets of the second year reddish, with a glaucous tinge. Leaves numerous in the bundle, at least forty, long and slender, arranged in an erect cone-like pencil.
- 4. Larix kurilensis, Mayr. Kurile Islands.
- Branchlets of the second year shining reddish brown, pubescent, not glaucous. Leaves few in the bundle, often only twenty to thirty, short and very broad, spreading so as to form an open cup around the bud.
- †† Leaves greenish, with two inconspicuous bands of stomata, each of two to three lines, on the lower surface.
- 5. Larix Griffithii, Hooker. Himalayas.
- Branchlets of the second year very stout, dull reddish brown, pubescent. Short shoots broad and fringed above by very large loose reflected pubescent membranous bud-scales.
- 6. Larix occidentalis, Nuttall. Western N. America.
- Branchlets of the second year slender, light brown, shining, pubescent. Short shoots slender, with narrow inconspicuous fringe of bud-scales.
- 7. Larix sibirica, Ledebour. Russia, Siberia.
- Branchlets of the second year slender, shining, greyish yellow, glabrous, the long hairs present in the furrows between the pulvini of the first year’s shoot having fallen off. Leaves very long and slender, up to 2 inches in length.
